1. Field of Invention
The present invention is related to audio/video-on-demand systems, and more particularly to an audio/video-on-demand system in which a portion of content in a remote database is locally stored in an audio/video-on-demand receiver and additional content in the database that is related to the locally stored content portion is accessed by the receiver.
2. Related Art
Portable devices with the ability to play audio or video information (xe2x80x9ccontentxe2x80x9d) that is locally stored in semiconductor memory are well known (e.g., MP3 audio players, portable computers, and personal digital assistants (PDAs)). Typically the content must be transferred to the device from a separate digital source before the content can be output to the device user. Such digital sources include local, portable sources (e.g., compact disc (CD), digital video disc (DVD), SmartCard(copyright), etc.) or remote sources (e.g., personal computers (PCs) or a computer acting as a server). These content sources are connected to the device via either a wired communications system (e.g., plain old telephone system (POTS), digital subscriber line (DSL), optical cable connection to the Internet (network of interconnected networks having an origin in research by the United States Advanced Research Project Agency)) or via a wireless communications system (e.g., terrestrial/satellite broadcast systems, cellular communications systems, fixed wireless or satellite connections to the Internet). In either case, the user selects the audio or video content to be transferred to and locally stored in the device for later output (playback). Once transfer of audio or video content has been completed, however, the locally stored content typically cannot be modified or updated. Also, additional information that is related to the locally stored content cannot be accessed after the initial transfer.
TABLE 1 presents the characteristics of several popular content consumption devices.
Audio/video-on-demand systems broadcast content (e.g., information and entertainment programs such as news, music, financial information, traffic reports) to system users. The broadcast content is selectively received (captured) by and locally stored in mobile receivers (e.g., produced by Command Audio Corporation of Redwood City, California) for subsequent output (playback) to the human user. Information regarding audio/video-on-demand systems is found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,406,626, 5,524,051, 5,571,806, and 5,590,195, each incorporated herein by reference. Additional information is found in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/454,901, entitled xe2x80x9cWireless Software And Configuration Parameter Modification For Mobile Electronic Devicesxe2x80x9d by Edward J. Costello et al., which is incorporated herein by reference. Although such on-demand systems allow the user to select audio or video content in an on-demand fashion, the receivers in such systems have limited memory capacity. The content stored in the remote database is typically many times (tens, hundreds, or thousands of times) larger than the receiver""s local memory storage capacity.
For certain kinds of time-sensitive audio or video information, it is desirable to receive updates to the locally stored content. Further, it is desirable to be able to access additional information that is related to the locally stored content. In addition, it is desirable to indicate to the user when related additional audio or video content is available during playback of locally stored content.
Content is remotely stored in a database. A portion of the remotely stored content is transferred to and locally stored in a mobile electronic audio/video-on-demand device. In addition, a link is transferred to and locally stored in the on-demand device. The link is associated with the locally stored content and also points to a portion of the remotely stored content that is related to the locally stored content. In some instances multiple links are associated with the locally stored content, and each unique associated link points to a unique portion of the remotely stored content. Multiple links are used in some embodiments for targeting user demographics in, for example, advertising.
An indication (audible, visual) is provided to the on-demand device user that a link is stored. In response to the user""s command (manual, verbal), the link is used to generate a request to access the related, remotely stored content. In alternate embodiments the request is automatically generated. The request is sent by the on-demand device via a two-way wireless communications system to a content access manager that is electrically coupled to the database. The accessed remotely stored content is then transferred by the access manager via the two-way communications system to the on-demand device for output. In some embodiments the output is immediate. In other embodiments the output is delayed.